Improvement in fence-posts



L. TURNER.

WITNESSES [1v VENTOR A zgayfle Turner.

By his .dtforneys ".FETEN, PHOTO-UTNOGfiAPMER. WASHINGTON- D. O.

UNITED} STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAFAYETTE TURNER, OFGEDAR RAPIDS P. 0., IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT ll\l FENCE-POSTS.

Specification forming part'of Letters'Patent No. 210,648, dated December 10,1878; application filed November 13, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, LAFAYETTE TURNER, of Linn county, in the State of Iowa, (post-office address, Cedar Rapids, Iowa,) have invented cerlain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, of which the following 'is a specification My invention relates to improvements in sectional or two-part fence-posts, and especially such as are designedfor wire fences. Heretofore fence posts have been constructed in sectionsthat is to say, the uprights or posts proper have been separately made and detachably connected with bases, anchor-blocks, or supports secured in the ground.

My object is to improve posts of this class, and of that particular type of said class in which the uprights or posts proper are made hollow and connected through their centers 01' tubular portions with the bases by tie rods or I braces extending through the uprights and serving to bind the posts down to the bases; and my improvements consist in certain peculiarities in the sections, the uprights or posts proper and the bases, and in the manner of connecting them together, so that the uprights may be turned about their vertical axes to enable them to be adjusted without disturbing or in any way interfering with the bases to bring the uprights into proper positions to re-- ceive the panel-connections or wires of the fence, after which the sections may be securely locked together in such manner as to admit of their ready separation.

The subj ect-matter claimed will hereinafter specifically be designated after first fully describing my improvements by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view, in elevation, of the post,

the two sections being locked together or rigidly united; Fig. 2, a similar view, representin g the post at a right angle to that shown by the preceding figure, or as it would appear if given a quarter-turn. Fig. 3 is avertical central section, on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4, through the base and aport-ion of the upright, showing the connection between or manner of fitting together the parts. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section through the upright 011 the lines 4 4 of Figs. 1 and ,2; and Fig. 5, a section through the base on the lines 5 5 of Figs. 1 and 2.

The base, anchor-section, or short support A tapers and is pointed at its lower end, is

' vertically ribbed, and terminatesat top in a broad annular bearing or rest, B, for the up-v right or post proper U. The upright is tubular throughout, is preferably made tapering, as shown, and rests at its butt or lower end, D, upon the bearing B of the short base.

The butt of the upright is formed to correspond with the top surface or rest, B, of the base, and the contiguous surfaces of the two sections A O are so formed as to interlock or engage with each other and yet admit of the turning of the upright about the base. The annular bead or rib a and the corresponding mortise or groove I) serve to engage the sections with each other. An internal tie-rod or clamping and locking brace,E, connects with the base an d extends upward vertically through the hollow upright. The tie-rod is shown in this instance as united at its lower end with the metallic base by a screw-thread, but in practice I prefer to cast the base around the lower end of the rod, which is made of wroughtiron. The upright has one or more vertical ribs or flanges, F, preferably two, such ribs arranged on opposite sides to give the post a symmetrical appearance, in one of which ribs are provided slots 6 to receive and retain the fence wires when inserted properly and stretched, as is well understood. I

A nut, Gr, on the threaded upper end of the tie-rod, above the tubular upright 0, serves to force down the upright and securely clamp or bind the sections 0 and A together. A washer is placed beneath the nut.

Both sections of the post are made of castiron, by preference, but the top section may be of wood and be round or square.

From the above description it will be seen that I am enabled to remove the uprights from the bases when they are to be secured in the ground. The bases are to be driven into the ground in the line the fence is to be run without regard to any adjustment sidewise or about a vertical axis. The uprights, when placed upon the bases, may be turned into any proper position, so as to bring their slots in line with each other to receive the wires, and then be fastened by the rods and nuts. The line of the fence having been determined, no care has to be taken in driving the bases so long as they are planted at proper intervals apart for the panels, and in the path of the fence to be constructed. In turning curves or angles the proper adjustment is made readily by turning the uprights about their Vertical axes on the bases before looking them in place.

It is obvious that instead of using the nut and cap-washer above the post a slot might be made in the upper end of the tie-rod and a wedge be driven in place, so as to bear at its under side upon the top of the post proper or upon the washer, and thus lock the sections A and 0 together, or other equivalent securing devices be employed to bind the sections together by means of their interlocking surfaces and the tie-rod; and instead of the bead-andgroove connection between the two sections some equivalent connection that will admit of the complete turning of the upright and provide forjocking it upon the base may be employedsuch, for instance, as a vertically-projectin g annular flange on the one section surrounding or overlapping the adjacent surface of the othersect-ion. Ratchet-like projections or serrations may be formed upon the interlocking surfaces, so as more securely to connect them. The connection must be such as to admit of the freeand complete turning of the upright in one direction at least about its vertical axis on the base.

Another advantage due to my improvements, beside the saving of time and trouble which would be necessary in adjusting the bases were their uprights not free to turn around the rests B, is that the wires of a section of fence or number of panels may at any time be tightened simply by loosening one of the uprights, and then turning so as to wrap the wires about the posts and draw them taut. In putting up a fence I deem it preferable to thus take a turn or two of the wires about the posts at intervals-say, once for every dozen or so panels so that when it is desired to let down the fence or to remove or replace a post, the wires may be slackened by loosening one or more of the posts about which they are wound, and then revolving the post or posts (lifting the loosened post or wedgin g it up if it has serrations upon its surface interlocking with the base) to nnwind the wires and leave them free to slack and admit of their ready removal from the slots e, with which theyinterlock. In this way the wires may either be allowed to sag to the ground. or be propped up for the passage of stock or wagons from one field to another.

When the posts proper or uprights are made of Wood they may each be of a single piece bored out for the tie-rod, or be made in two equal longitudinal sections, each having a groove in its inner face, so that when the two parts are secured together by nails, screws, or proper clamps the tube for the tierod is completed. The washer G serves as a cap to exclude rain from the hollow post. A metal rib, such as F, with slots 6, is secured to the wood post. Vhen thus made the parts A U are united in the same manner as though both made of metal, and no change in operation results from the change in material.

I claim as of my own invention and improvement in the particular type of fence-post hereinbefore referred to- Thecombination of the anchor-base A, the tubular ribbed and slotted post 0, resting on and connected adjustably with the base, as specified, the tierod E, firmly fixed to the base and provided with the means specified at its top for clamping and holding the post and base together, all arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

- LAFAYETTE TURNER.

Vitnesses:

J. R. MEEK, E1). L. SPEER. 

